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BDN Premium Duke Basketball Recruiting Update

Michael Gbinije took in the Duke-Maryland game this past Saturday - copyright BDN Photo

As our members know, as the college basketball season goes into its final weeks recruiting talk heats up, for AAU ball is less than two months away.  It's been a bit busy around here where we have been covering basketball and spring football, which caught everyone off guard with an early start.

I had originally planned a list of Duke's prospects, breaking each one down, but, instead, we'll concentrate this update on Micael Gbinije and Carrick Felix.  If you think Gbinije caught us by surprise, think again, for we have sat on his name for a week now while Duke's interest grew.  Then duty called and delays were imminent for our latest update.

Anyhow, here is the deal on Gbinije and since we've seen him play a dozen times, BDN can definitely break his game down [private] for you.

Who is Michael Gbinije?

He's a 6-6 WF from Benedictine High School in Richmond Virginia.

When did Duke get involved?

Duke has watched the development of Gbinije for a good two years now.  Duke Assistant Coach Nate James watched him play in Richmond and Coach Krzyzewksi took in one of his games during last year's AAU Nationals.  Duke has also seen plenty of film on him.

Who else is he considering?

Georgetown, Oklahoma, Villanova, Wake Forest , andVirginia Tech are some of the legitimate contenders.

What about UNC?

It is true that Gbinije liked UNC growing up and still does, but he also likes Duke.  Folks, UNC cannot get them all and they have few offers to throw about right now.  That is, of course, unless they have a transfer and as I have said before, they will have at least one defection in the off season according to reliable sources.  I am not sure UNC will offer.

What if they do?

Well, Duke has wings in the wings.  If they do, it only opens up other possibilities for Duke, and UNC would then have very little wiggle room in their recruiting.

How did the visit go?

It went very well, as good as one could hope for according to those close to the situation.  Nate James has been the lead for Gbinije all along.

What's his game like?

The word steady comes to mind.  He doesn't jump out at you on the court like some wings do, but you always know he is out there for he is making plays in a consistent manner.  He is a bit of a tweener, but can certainly mix it up some and watching him develop with another years maturity should prove interesting.  Prep Stats rates him the 20th best prospect in the class of 2011.  Gbinije brings a balanced skill set to the table.  He can shoot the mid range jumper, drive and hit the glass hard when he needs to.  He has good hands and makes the safe play rather than go for the flash.  He is a glue player in that he seems willing to fill roles, but he has the potential to turn into a serious contributor.  He moves well without the ball and seems to understand how to play help defense and space properly.  His footwork is above average, but needs some refinement on the defensive end.

Duke has a long list of wings they will follow once the season ends and we'll sort them out as some names become serious.  We sat on Gbinije's visit for nobody had this out there.  Andrew can attest to this via e-mail exchanges about the Primetime Shootout.  Speaking of the shootout, Andrew caught up with the elusive Kyrie Irving for a detailed interview.  You may have noticed that Kyrie has shut out the Duke media of late.  A few more things coming from Slater's way as the week progresses as well.

A little tip for you - Duke will run next season.  The offense will look drasticly different with Irving in the fold and Duke wants some wing athletes to go with him.

Enter Carrick Felix.  We should have film coming on him and yes I think he will be the next Dukie.  He will visit after the season and formalities are pretty much all that remains.  He is strong in the class room and adds something in which the Blue Devils don;t have on their roster at this time.

Austin Rivers is still scheduled to visit during the UNC game and you know how I feel about this one and nothing has changed.

Thanks for being patient during a busy time for our staff.  I will address other prospects at a later time, so please do not ask of them until then if possible.  We are thinking about changes and this has taken us away from our usual coverage, but we're about to get back to normal and long time members know that's a good thing.   There are times when we get too busy to even tell you what we have learned and sometimes another site will claim the scoop, but that's okay for we are in this for the long haul and the cream always rises to the top.  Quite simply, sometimes our hands are tied with what we can share and we must let others get their breaks.

Thanks for your support! [/private]

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BDN talks Duke Basketball Recruiting with Prep Stars’ Rob Harrington

Rob discussed Austin Rivers with BDN's MArk Watson - BDN Photo
Rob Harrington discusses Austin Rivers and others prospects with BDN's Mark Watson - BDN Photo

I sat down with Prep Stars' Rob Harrington to get his thoughts on Duke Basketball Recruiting.  In our conversation, Rob breaks down what he likes about the kids Duke already has locked in with verbal commitments and covers prospects as well.  We talk about Kyrie Irving to Quincy Miller and Austin Rivers and then backtrack to Harrison Barnes and more.  For more information on Prep Stars visit their site by going here Prep Stars Link-  To listen to this article and have full site access, join BDN Premium.

Just [private] press play -

Talk about this article with other members on the BDN Premium Message Board [/private]

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BDN’s Duke Basketball Recruiting Update

Austin RIvers, Kyrie Irving and Andre Dawkins share a moment during this past seasons AAU Nationionals in Orlando - BDN Photo
Austin RIvers, Kyrie Irving and Andre Dawkins share a moment during this past seasons AAU National in Orlando - BDN Photo

With all the questions surrounding where Duke will seriously look to fill another spot in the class of 2010, I decided to break it down as it stands today.  First off Roscoe Smith is a [private] long shot, but Duke is still involved but to a much lesser degree than some think.  While Smith is talented, there seems to be too many issues to overcome, mainly academics.

Duke has turned their focus to three players and you heard about all of them in our past updates.  Duke is involved with Trey Zeigler and they like him a lot, but then again they like others as well.  As has been mentioned Zeigler will take a while to make his decision.  Some of the incoming prospects have been networking with Zeigler and while Duke is in this one a little late, they are still in it.

Nate James recently checked out Carrick Felix a 6-6, 180 SF who currently plays as a freshman for Southern Idaho Community College.  Felix is a very athletic wing who would benefit the Devils with his versatility.  Felix has the grades to get in from sources close to the situation and he has a bevy of schools after him.  Felix got his start in Arizona where he burst onto the scene and would be a rare reach into junior college.  Like Zeigler, the Blue Devils like what they see in this kid.  He cuts through defenses and plays good on ball defense, filling passing lanes as well.  Good shooter but a bit streaky.

Then there is Terrence Ross who as you know backed out of his verbal to Maryland.  We told you early on Kentucky was involved and there will be plenty of company joining the race.  Ross is a very athletic wing, similar to the aforementioned prospects. There are some questions as to whether Ross can qualify and he has already been talking with Kentucky.

As for Tashawn Mabry, you can pretty much consider him off the radar from what I have heard.  The Rocky Mount product has been suspended and from what I am hearing, it is from a serious incident which is under investigation.  Maryland has turned their attention towards Marbry after losing Ross.

So Duke is heavily involved with all three of these guys and are looking for anyone else who may pop up.  In short, Duke wants to sign a player in this size range to help balance their team according toa source as close to the program as one can get

Duke is still looking to get Austin Rivers in for a visit and that will likely happen as the ACC season gets into full swing.  Look for a lot of guys visit during the UNC game and there will be other games as well.  As of now, no visits are set in stone.  If Brad Beal de-commits from Florida it is unlikely Duke will look his way for Rivers is their guy.  Still, we'll take a wait and see approach on Beal.

Duke is also still very active with Quincy Miller and they'll ride this one out.  Duke continues to look at Marshall Plumlee as well.

JP Tokoto is still on the radar as well but Duke is aware that this one seems to be getting more and more like rides they've been on so they will keep their options wide open.  Tokoto holds an offer and showed a lot of interest at the Elite Camp but his camp changed their tune a bit after many felt a verbal could happen early on.  Still, I am in no way saying Duke is not very much in this race for they are and his step father likes Coach K a lot.

Unrelated, strong rumors out of Chapel Hill have been say for three weeks now that not all of the Heels are happy.  Many of the recent additions have been recruited over and you can just about bank it that someone will leave.  My guess would be either Stirckland or McDonald and fwiw, the word is stronger on McDonald.  But let them worry about their own and we'll worry about ours.

I will be adding a few more tidbits to the thread on the message board later this evening, so no need for questions in that I will tell you what I know.[/private]
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BDN Premium – Duke Basketball Team and Recruiting Update

Austin Rivers set to make a play - BDN Photo
Austin Rivers set to make a move - BDN Photo

As many of you are aware, the Duke Men's Basketball staff has been very active on the road of late, but they will now take a break to spend time with their families.  Just about all of the Blue Devils players are at home with their families for the Holiday season.  We will be covering a few kids live after Christmas and I will have more on that later.  Let's just say that BDN will be back in the groove in a major way in the coming year and our coverage will be better than ever.

Many of you have asked if there is anything new going on and the answer is [private] not much.  We'll start with Austin Rivers who you can see on ESPNU tonight against one of the best teams in the country.  Rivers dropped 45 points and, as we told you months ago now, he will concentrate on his high school season.  Rivers continues to say he is a Florida Gator, and that is technically true.  However, Rivers is quick to tell you that Duke is recruiting him and that he likes the fact that Coach K has taken an interest in him.  Rivers will take a visit to Duke this season after the new year if all works out.  I continue to feel very good about Duke's chances of landing Rivers - far too many reasons to list, but it's not over until it's over.  The Rivers family will watch and see how UF and Duke fare this season and see how Austin fits in.  It's no secret that Rivers has stayed in close touch with Kyrie and Andre among others.  Krzyzewski loves what Rivers brings to the table and he has been front and center for Rivers games since the AAU Nationals in Orlando, Florida.  Krzyzewski and Collins attended Rivers' game last week. The staff will follow him closely, staying in touch as often as the NCAA rules allow.  This one will go to Spring or after the season.

As many of you know, one of my pet peeves is the unsubstantiated rumors that make message boards go crazy.  It's one of the reasons I spend little time on my own board these days.  The latest one says that Duke has stopped recruiting Roscoe Smith, which is false.  I have been telling you for a good while that Duke has been trying to arrange an on-campus visit and that remains true today.  UConn is the chief competition and probably the leader at this time.  It's been hard for Duke to proceed, for they need to make sure Smith can qualify.  There is no secret that it is easier to qualify for UConn than Duke.  My understanding is that Krzyzewski likes Smith's potential and he did catch one of his games over the break.  So, there is a wait and see approach with concerns to Smith and the picture should become clear in the next month or two.  Nobody would have put Smith and Duke together early last summer, but Nate James hit the road running and developed a good relationship with the prospect.

Rocky Mount's Tashawn Mabry and his family sat behind the Duke bench for a game recently and Duke is in the evaluation or get to know stage with Mabry.  I was scheduled to check him out during the Glaxo Tournament, but Rocky Mount could not work out the logistics to be there.  Mabry was one of the most underrated players in the country but his star is rising this season.

One thing to keep in mind is that Duke will be careful who they offer and they will not just throw one out there for anyone who they don't think can contribute.  I must admit that project players like Boateng or Czyz rarely work out, for the learning curve is behind other kids.  Duke has, however, had success with role player types going all the way back to Brian Davis and Marty Clark for but two examples.

Brace yourself for a ride with two prospects.  Quincy Miller attended the Duke Elite Camp and he, indeed, likes the Devils as does a key member of his family.  Miller is a good interview in person and he has a great personality, but the recruiting game seems to get fun for these kids as they go along and anything they say until they are a rising senior should be taken with a grain of salt.  The longer this one goes on, the more familiar it will seem, meaning a little stress.  Still, Duke is right there for Miller at this time and there is a strong foundation with concerns to relations with the coaching staff.  I will be catching one of Miller's games soon and we will eventually talk with him.

Then there is JP Tokoto who loved the Duke Elite Camp but he grew up a UNC fan.  Tokoto sent signals that he may commit early, but that changed in a matter of days and he is now scheduled to visit UNC for the Duke game.  The Heels are coming on strong and will offer him as a junior.  Whether Duke decides to look elsewhere or pull back remains to be seen.  But they will surely send some feelers out there to gauge his interest.  If he is like PJ Hairston and the debacle Harrison Barnes, maybe Duke should broaden their options.  It's hard to imagine Duke wanting to go down to the wire again while other talented kids might be a better option.  Tokoto's stepfather likes Duke, but he also likes UNC.  This one promises to be, as I mentioned, stressful over time.

Duke has been keeping tabs on Trey Ziegler for a long time now and they are still checking him out, seeing him play recently.  There haven't been enough developments to take this much further at this time.

Duke will continue to watch Marshall Plumlee and Christ School as the new year comes in as well.

As for Brad Beal, he just had his mind set on Florida and he was simply unable to make visits due to family reasons. As things started looking good with Rivers, Duke pulled back on the reins with the talented Beal.

Let's talk about Olek Czyz for a minute.  The transfer is on good terms and he has already talked with Nevada but is looking elsewhere.  Czyz was rated in the top twenty players in his class by Clark Francis in perhaps one of the clearest cases of gurus rating players too high after a single AAU event.  Czyz, always a dunking machine, simply never got the rest of his game together.  He worked hard over the summer, but when given a chance he would miss assignments, causing a chink in the armor when he was on the court.  Duke will not miss Czyz and to make a lot out of the transfers of late is overreacting a bit.  Many never consider that kids may struggle in the classroom as well as the hardwood.  In short, Czyz leaves in good standing and simply wants to go to a school where he can start.  We wish him luck.

The staff is happy with this year's team and feel like they are in a good place for this time of the season.  Duke is now ranked seventh in both polls and their team defense has been a pleasant surprise.  Look for Duke to continue to play the bigs that produce while on the court.  Expect more development with Mason in the new year and Kelly has positioned himself with hard work to contribute more.  Duke is looking for consistency down low.

If Jon Scheyer continues his play he will push for not only All ACC honors but ACC POY and maybe even All American.  The staff is not worried about him wearing down, saying he is young and in the best shape of his life.

Some good news is that at this time the Duke feels Kyle Singler will return for his senior season.  Singler is enjoying the college life and it may be in his best interest to return in what could be a magical senior campaign.

Back to future Dukies, the staff is pleased with the development of Josh Hairston who is going against tougher comp this season.  The same holds true for Tyler Thornton.  We'll check in with both of these guys after Christmas and or the holidays.

Nate James checked out 7-1  Aziz Ndiaye JUCO from Southern Idaho.  Word is that this kid is a beast.  He also took in Carrick Felix, a 6-6 swing who is swift afoot.

When there is some real news or changes I will let you know without you having to ask daily if anything is different.  We'll talk to the kids and bring you our famous interviews, but until there are legitimate developments BDN decided not to bug these kids until after the holidays.  After all, they are all playing in tournaments galore and no matter what site you visit, they are saying nothing you haven't heard here a long time ago.  Sometimes, things are just a little slow and we have been facing that after Barnes' recruitment.  So hang in there and you will see what separates us from the rest as time goes on.   You have to keep in mind that Duke is in the midst of the season and sometimes it's good to enjoy the current team instead of always worrying about the future.  Okay, I will admit that only works for a awhile 😉  Happy Holidays to the Blue Devil Nation! [/private]

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High School Hoops 2010 Edition No. 6

Hairston-300x286A plethora of high school basketball action has taken place this past week. Holiday tournaments are in full swing this weekend with future Blue Devils and recruiting targets participating in tournaments such as the Iolani Classic (Tyler Thornton and Josh Hairston) in Honolulu, the Chick-fil-A Classic (Marshall Plumlee) in Columbia, the City of Palms Classic (Austin Rivers) in Fort Myers, and the Kreul Classic (Quincy Miller) in Miami. [private]

This edition of High School Hoops 2010 was scheduled to start off with a look at future Duke guard Kyrie Irving. Unfortunately, St. Patrick’s first two games, on Friday night and Saturday, were cancelled. For an in depth look at Irving and St. Patrick’s, go to the NJ.com website as they have a New Jersey basketball season preview posted along with a quick blurb on each of the state’s top 50 players and the state’s best teams.

Turning to the Holiday Tournaments, in the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Josh Hairston scored 20 points on Thursday as Montrose Christian destroyed Kahuku 70 – 27. On Friday, Tyler Thornton scored 14 points as Gonzaga rolled over Moanalua 84 – 56.

On Saturday, both Hairston and Thornton were in action. Hairston scored 22 points with 12 rebounds as Montrose Christian defeated Iolani 71 – 49. Thornton scored 18 points but Gonzaga fell to Columbia (GA) 55 – 53.

This article at ESPN includes some very nice verbiage on Hairston. Reggie Rankin states, “Hairston will be a good fit in the intense Duke man-to-man defense…” This ESPN RISE Magazine article is complimentary toward both Hairston and Thornton with statements such as: “Tyler Thornton was born to lead” and “Tyler Thornton and Josh Hairston couldn’t be stopped.” The buzz surrounding these two players has been relatively subdued, possibly due to their early commitment, however, Duke fans should be ecstatic about these two players arrival next season.

In the Chick-fil-A Classic, on Saturday, Christ School defeated Norfolk Christian 78 - 60. Marshall Plumlee’s line was 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots in 18 minutes. Carolina commit James McAdoo scored 19 points for Norfolk Christian. The State has a tournament preview article, which highlights 10 players to watch.

At the City of Palms Classic, on Saturday night, Winter Park faced Findlay Prep. Austin Rivers scored 22 points and dished out five assists but it wasn’t enough as Findlay Prep prevailed 86 – 75.

Linking to ESPN RISE Magazine once again, here is a detailed article on Austin Rivers and his desire to improve as a defensive player.

Quincy Miller scored 32 points including a 16-17 performance at the free throw line, as Quality Education Academy defeated Central Carolina Sports Academy 90 – 85 on Tuesday December 15. QEA is participating in the Kreul Classic this weekend and on Friday night Miller scored 17 points in a 70 – 60 victory over North Miami Beach.

In action earlier in the week, J.P. Tokoto scored 21 points in leading Menomonee Falls to a 65 – 46 win over Sussex Hamilton.

That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of High School Hoops 2010. Blue Devil Nation’s coverage will continue next week so be sure and stay tuned in order to gather in the scoop on all high school players currently committed to Duke or being recruited by Duke. [/private]

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

High School Hoops 2010 Edition No. 5

Tyler Thornton 3This edition of our running feature on high school basketball action starts off in our nation's capital with coverage of the D.C. Classic. The Gonzaga Eagles featuring future Blue Devil Tyler Thornton are hosting the tournament. Also participating is perennial California powerhouse Mater Dei the alma mater of current Villanova and ex-Blue Devil Taylor King and Carolina's Travis and David Wear. [private]

This week’s coverage begins with links to a tournament preview and quarterfinal game results. The preview has information on all eight teams. In the quarterfinals, Tyler Thornton scored 18 points in Gonzaga’s 83 – 69 victory over Jesuit (Dallas) TX. Gonzaga utilized pressure defense to spark their running game and opened the game up in the third quarter.

In the semifinals, Gonzaga faced Calvert Hall (Baltimore) and came away with a 66 – 51 victory. Tyler Thornton scored 16 points and Gonzaga once again used a blistering defense to lead from start to finish.

The Championship Game featured Gonzaga versus Mater Dei. Tyler Thornton scored 18 points and earned MVP honors as Gonzaga used an 11 – 0 run in the fourth quarter to come from behind and win the championship 62 – 59. Thornton turned a critical steal into a coast to coast basket to improve Gonzaga’s lead to 61 - 57.

Josh Hairston scored 10 points and Montrose Christian cruised to a 74 – 25 victory over Liberty. On Saturday, Hairston scored 17 points as Montrose defeated St. Mary’s Ryken 74 – 59.

Quincy Miller scored 25 points in the opening game of the Best of the Midwest Shootout to lead Quality Education Academy to an 87 – 82 victory over Brehm Prep.

Roscoe Smith recorded a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds as Oak Hill Academy defeated Carolina Forest 100 – 52. Coach Krzyzewski was in attendance.

Winter Park High School is ranked # 3 in the Orlando Sentinel's Super 16. The Orlando Sentinel has another Austin Rivers feature article posted. On Saturday, Rivers led all scorers with 18 points as Winter Park defeated Montverde Academy 55 -52 in the Hoops with a Heart Classic. Monteverde was ranked # 1 in the Super 16.

Christ School trounced Asheville HS 70 – 35. Marshall Plumlee scored seven points for the Greenies.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a Greater Metro Conference preview article posted. This is the conference which includes J.P. Tokoto and Menomonee Falls HS. In Friday night action, Tokoto scored 14 points as Menomonee Falls defeated West Allis Hale 72 – 47.

Trey Zeigler scored 21 points and pulled in eight rebounds, but Mt Pleasant was routed, 65 – 38, by Saginaw Arthur Hill.

Looking at the week ahead, Gonzaga and Montrose Christian will be in Honolulu for the Iolani Classic starting on Thursday. On Friday, Christ School will be participating in the Chick-fil-A Classic and Winter Park will be at the City of Palms. [/private]